In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, at least five additional Indian Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) companies have arrived in Srinagar from various parts of the territory.
The additional CRPF men have been lodged in marriage halls located in civilian areas. A CRPF official said they are in Kashmir to assist police and they don’t go to any place unless they are sought.
“It is the administration that sends requisition to the Ministry of Home Affairs after which fresh deployment of CRPF men is made,” the official said.
Asked how many additional companies of CRPF have been brought into Srinagar, he gave a guarded reply stating that some five additional CRPF companies have arrived in Srinagar at the “request of administration and police.”
Pertinently, each CRPF company comprises 100 to 135 men and each company is headed by an Assistant Commandant rank officer. This signifies that over 500 additional CRPF men have arrived in Srinagar.
“The (Srinagar) district administration has marked marriage halls in Suthrashahi, Barbar Shah, Nowshehr, Ilahi Bagh, Mal Bagh and other localities for lodging newly arrived paramilitary forces,” said a media report from New Delhi.
Earlier, locals of Shuthrashi and Illahibagh-Malpora area of Srinagar had lodged a protest against the authorities’ decision of lodging CRPF men in marriage halls in their areas.
Meanwhile, National Conference Vice President, Omar Abdullah said the situation in Kashmir had “regressed” to such an extent that community halls built during his tenure as chief minister of the territory were being used as barracks for forces.—KMS
